In the Name of Love
by colormerainbows21
Summary: How far are people really willing to go, and how much will be sacrificed all in the name of love? Rated M for future chapters and some strong language.
1. Chapter 1

**In the Name of Love**

A/N: Alright guys, so this is something new I have had floating in my head for a little while. It is slightly AU, and some of the characters will not have their same positions as they do in the show. That said, I look forward to where it takes me, and I hope you all enjoy it. As always, how long it will be depends on how well it is received by all of you. Thank you so much for all the love and support you have given on all my other work. I love sharing my talent with you all. :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Law & Order SVU or any affiliated characters. Any addition characters or situations I have created are purely figments of my imagination and any resemblance to actual persons is coincidental.

Meghan Benson-Stabler sat in her room, trying and failing miserably to tune out the chaos that surrounded her. They were fighting...again. Always, they fought. As much as they thought she didn't hear it, she did. Always. They underestimated her intelligence. There once had been a time when things were good, peaceful and happy in their home, but she didn't remember it. It was in the distant past, now something she knew existed only from it being brought up in conversation.

_"You think I don't know what you do is hard?! I do know that, El. But contrary to belief, it's not always about you! You're not the only one who sees people hurt, broken, and stares death in the face everyday. You're not the only one who comes home scarred and spent when you fail to save a life!"_

The argument was the same as it always was. Started with something small and insignificant, always escalating to what seemed to become World War III. Her parents always seemed to have some unspoken competition between them about whose job was harder. Her father always thought it was him, because being an ER physician brought the worst of the world to the forefront every day. Death happened every few minutes, and it took a mix of toughness and compassion to handle that reality. On the other hand, her mother had it in her head, and would argue that her job was just as gruelling, if not more so. People did get hurt and die every day, but the heinous manner in which she witnessed that fact, was not something her husband always had to deal with. Often she said she felt lonelier at home in the arms of her husband than she did at the precinct.

Through all of arguing, Meghan had been forced to navigate the waters of the teenage years pretty much on her own. It had taken her a long time to fit in, and even now, she still didn't feel like she was on solid ground. Her friends were semi popular, she had a select few that she felt would be there when she needed them, but she also knew, thanks to her parents' wonderful marriage, that stress and bad times brought out the worst in people. They could say one thing, and do an entirely different one when the time came they were needed. High times were great, but when it rained it poured.

The grades she brought home were stellar, and everyone thought she'd follow in one of her parents footsteps becoming a doctor or a cop. In reality, she had no idea what she wanted to do. The only reason she worked so hard was to escape the thoughts in her mind, and the hell at home. She had good enough marks to land her a scholarship in one of the best schools in the country, probably even to graduate earlier than most if she wanted to, but nobody cared. None of it really mattered to them. Anything she tried to tell her parents fell on deaf ears, and got little attention. After a while, she stopped caring. As much as she wanted to love her parents, she often felt very little connection to them. The only feeling she recognized most deeply, was one of invisibility.

_"There once was a time when I really loved you, Olivia. It's sad, that I don't remember it now. I look at you, and I don't even know who you are."_

_ "Join the fucking club. You think I like coming home after working for days on end, seeing things I'd wish not even on my worst enemy to have to deal with, just to have my husband give me the cold shoulder?! I used to be able to talk to you. You knew me better than anyone."_

_ "Yeah well, I guess people change."_

_ "Clearly."_

_ "If you think so ill of me now and it stresses you out so much to come home to me, why don't you just file divorce papers?"_

_ "Oh, you'd give up that easily, huh?"_

_ "Show me the dotted line, honey, and I'll sign 'em."_

_ "You're a dick."_

The divorce word filled her with enough rage to walk out of the confines of her bedroom and backhand both of them. To throw something so serious around so aimlessly was something she couldn't understand. Their lives were already fucked up enough. Every day felt like a tornado swept through their home, taking away all that was sacred, and any progress that had been made. If they were going the route of divorce, she wished they'd just put their adult pants on and get it over with.

Vibration against her desk jolted her from her thoughts and the fight that she'd been desperately trying to tune out became distant as her phone provided temporary distraction.

_ Hey. R U still up? _

_ Yup. The rents are fighting again. Shocker. What r u doing?_

_ At football game with a bunch of ppl from school. Started not too long ago. U should sneak out & come meet me. Need 2 c u. _

_ LOL.. Sneak out? I'm not grounded. I doubt anybody would even notice if I left. B there in like 20 mins. _

Putting her phone in her pocket, she hastily grabbed a sweater from her closet, throwing it over her head. Weighing her options, she figured she'd climb out her bedroom window. Although she really had no need to sneak out, had her own car and was old enough to drive, she had no desire to break up her parents argument just to bore them with where she would be. Like she'd told Brent, they probably wouldn't even care.

The drive over to the high school football field wasn't a long one, but she'd decided to take her time. Blasting the radio had allowed her to blow off steam, and release tensions she could voice to no one.

It hadn't taken her long to spot her boyfriend in the bleachers. Being one of the more popular and attractive guys in the school, people always surrounded him, and every girl could pick him out of a lineup. For the last three years, she'd been the girl fortunate enough to be hanging off his arm. Not typically one to like drama or confrontation, she did like the jealous stares the other girls gave her when she was with him. She had something they wanted, and she felt lucky to be in that kind of position after so many years of struggling to fit in. Brent DePaiva had been her first for everything, and was the only person who knew just about everything about her. Even stupid little things; her favourite book, colour and ice cream flavor. He knew she thought reality shows were fake and stupid and that she never watched them, but that she loved documentaries. That she loved animals more than most people, believed in world peace and equality and hated that so many places struggled to fight against poverty and hunger. He listened to her, and she loved him for that. It was a simple thing, but something others rarely seemed to do.

"What took you so long?" he slung his arm over her shoulders as she scooted her body in close to his.

"I took the long way to blow off steam. My parents really piss me off with all their bullshit."

"I know. You've said so numerous times before."

She found it odd he hadn't even asked if she was okay, but chalked it up to a bit of a bad mood.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

They sat for the duration of the game in silence. Their team had won, but she hadn't really paid too much attention. Her mind was on the fact that Brent had his arm around her the whole time, but had barely acknowledged her. This was unlike him, and made her feel like property rather than a human being that he valued.

She stood up to leave as everyone was filing out, and he let his arm fall from around her without so much as a glance in her direction. Only when she went to kiss him goodbye, feeling him pull away from her, did she know something was really off.

"Listen, Meg. The reason I asked you to come here, said I needed to see you, was because I need you to know I think it's time we ended it. I can't do this anymore."

In less than two minutes, with just a mere two sentences, the only thing that remained aligned in her world had come crashing down around her feet. She looked up at him, searching his eyes for answers she couldn't find.

"Is there someone else?"

"No. No. It's not you. It's me. These last three years have been great, but I need to move on."

_I need to move on._

The last five words swirled around in her brain, making her head spin. Brent had always been the one to stress good communication, talking problems out. If he'd had an issue with where their relationship had gone or was headed, why hadn't he heeded his own advice and talked to her?

"Well you just move on then. You move on, and I'll drive so fucking far away that I never cross your path, or your mind, anymore."

Turning on her heel, she ran the entire way back to her car, vision so blurred by tears she thought she'd stumble and fall.

Surprising herself, she saw through her sadness enough to make the drive home in one piece. Not so surprising was the fact that neither of her parents had noticed she was gone. When she'd made her way back through her bedroom window, all was quiet and the fighting seemed to have ceased for the moment. Her room was exactly as she'd left it, with no indication that her parents had been inside or knew she'd left. It didn't shock her, but sometimes she wished she could feel like they'd missed her, or even simply just wondered if she was okay.

For the moment, she wasn't okay. She was broken, and had wasted 3 years of life on someone who she thought had loved her. He had fed her lies and bullshit, and like everything else she'd gone through in her teenage life, she knew she'd have to deal with this too, alone. Not bothering to change out of her clothes, she curled up in a ball under the covers, drifting off to sleep wondering if things would ever change. If she would ever have the love, care and attention of her parents, and know it was sincere.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A/N: I'm happy to see that people have been following/reviewing, and generally liking this story so far. I really appreciate all my followers and the support they give. I say it a lot, but thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Law & Order SVU or any affiliated characters. Any additional characters or situations I've created are figments of my imagination and intended to bear no resemblance to any real persons. Any similarity is purely coincidental.

"Babe, he's a jerk. I can't believe he just broke up with you like that, out of nowhere! What a dick. Like, at least give an explanation. You gave the guy three years of your life, he could grow a set of balls and give you at least ten minutes to explain his reasons."

Late that Saturday night, Meghan had made the drive over to Haileigh Cabot's house, in need of a pick-me-up. Now, sitting on the bed in her spacious and pristine bedroom, that pick-me-up had become a let's-bash-Brent session complete with junk food in which Haileigh had no reservations about voicing her true feelings.

"I know, Hail. He should have, but despite what he did, I still love him."

"You _love _him?! Meghan, he's an _idiot. _If he couldn't see what he had when he had you, he's not worth your thoughts or your tears. You are amazing and beautiful and smart, and deserve so much more than people give you credit for. Someday, some man is gonna see that and sweep you off your feet."

"Oh, _gag_! You need to stop watching The Notebook so often. Love isn't a fairytale, Haileigh. All the things you read and see in movies, it just doesn't happen that way."

"It happened for my Moms."

"They're anomalies, Hail. Nobody has a relationship as good as theirs, these days."

Haileigh's parents were both good personal acquaintances of her own mother and father. Alexandra Cabot was an ADA for the Special Victims Unit where her mother worked, and Lindsey Cabot was a nurse in the ER where her father had been working for years. They'd met through one of those ever-so-awkward get togethers parents often hosted when they knew each other well and worked together. They'd been forced to play with each other that night while the adults talked about things their young minds hadn't yet been able to comprehend, but had forged a genuine friendship when they'd discovered they'd be attending the same school in the fall, as Haileigh had transferred. Ever since, they'd sat together in classes, at lunch, compared notes, talked about teachers, celebrities, homework, and boys. Haileigh had been there in the beginning to witness her blossoming relationship with Brent, and now, she was there to try to pick up the pieces after the disintegration of it.

"Hi girls." Alex poked her head around the door of Haileigh's bedroom, a bright, cheery smile pasted on her face.

"Hey Mrs. Cabot."

"Hi Meghan. When did you get here?"

"A couple hours ago. Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay! Are you staying the night?"

"If that's alright with-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Haileigh being her loud, boisterous and outgoing self, finished it for her.

"Yes, Mom. She's staying the night. We're having a girls' night. Brent just broke up with her the other day."

"HAILEIGH!" As much as she loved her best friend, she hated how she often had blabbermouth tendencies. In an effort to wordlessly signal to her to shut her mouth, she gave her a look of disgust and a gentle shove of the shoulder.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. You were with him for a long time, huh? That's rough. Men are pigs." Inviting herself into the room, she plopped down onto her daughters bed, taking a chip out of one of the many open bags strewn across it and popping it into her mouth.

"Did he give you a reason why he was breaking things off?"

A small smile played at the edges of Meghan's mouth. So often, she'd wished she could switch families with Haileigh. The blonde was forever complaining that her parents were overbearing and annoying, but it was obvious to her that some people didn't know how good they had it. She loved that even when she came over to visit, Alex and Lindsey genuinely cared about what was going on in her life. They often paid more attention to her in a weekend than her own parents had in years.

"Not really. Just said he wanted to move on."

"Well, fuck him then. He doesn't know what a good thing he had."

"Aw, thanks."

"You should just come play for my team." she gave a wink, making the brunette laugh her first genuine laugh in the last few days.

"MOM!" Haileigh sat as far from her mother as possible, a look of utter disgust on her face.

"I'm just saying. Lindsey's working nights at the hospital so I didn't feel much like cooking anything this late. I came to see if you girls would like pizza?"

"Sure, if you're already ordering. I don't want to impose on y'all more than I already do."

"Meghan don't be silly, you know you're never an imposition on us. Half pepperoni, half bacon?"

"Sounds good."

"Yeah, thanks Mom."

"You bet. I'll bring it to you when it's here." Smiling, the older version of Haileigh walked from the room, closing the door behind her.

"God, she's soooo annoying sometimes." The younger blonde rolled her eyes, pulling her computer onto her lap.

"I think she's awesome."

"You don't live with her."

"Still. I'd give anything for my parents to pay attention to me like your Moms do. They have their heads too far up their asses to notice anything but their own problems."

"You gonna call 'em and tell 'em you're staying tonight?"

"They're both working, and they won't give a shit. If they happened to, this would be the first place they'd check."

Craning her neck, she caught a glimpse of Haileigh's computer screen.

"What're you doing?"

"Checking my MeetMeNow."

"Come again?"

"MeetMeNow. It's like, a social network."

"Like Facebook?"

"Yeah, but different. More for dating and stuff. You make a profile, and if people like your picture or whatever, they'll click this heart icon here. That means they like you. If you like them, you click it back, and you can start messaging."

"Oh. How long have you been on it?"

"A little while. Some guys on here are pretty hot. We should sign you up."

"No. No. Not happening."

"Oh, come _on _Meghan. You need to get over Brent's loser ass sooo bad. What better way to do that, show him what he's missing, than meeting someone new?"

"Hail, nobody on there is gonna wanna date me. Really. Be real."

"Why not? You're hot. Guys would be dumb not to like you. Come on. What have you got to lose? Do you really wanna wallow in your own self loathing and pity for the rest of your life?"

"Well when you put it like that.." she giggled, slowly giving in to the idea, hairbrained as it may have been.

"Yeah?"

"Sure. What the hell."

"Kay. You need a profile picture."

"Now? I look like shit."

"You do not! Stand up, I'll take it."

Meghan reluctantly got to her feet, as her friend grabbed her camera off her bedside table.

"Alright, strike a pose."

Laughing, the young brunette stood, left hand on her hip, right one with two fingers imitating the peace sign, lips pursed in a "duck face" fashion.

"This is so lame. I can't believe I'm letting you talk me into this."

"Ah, shut up girl. You sexy and you know it."

Situating herself back on her bed, she plugged her camera into the side of her laptop, waiting for the photo to upload to the pictures file on her hard drive. After selecting it as the one to load onto the website, the girls continued the mission of filling out a profile together.

"Okay, now you need a screen name."

"Can't I just make it my name?"

"Uh, no. It has to be enticing, duh. Make people interested in talking to you. Something catchy." She slid the computer over to her friend, and watched the cursor move as she typed the first thing that popped into her head.

_ Meghalicious1708_

"Meghalicious?"

"That's enticing!"

Chuckling, Haileigh moved the cursor to the next box.

"Okay, next step. About Me section. Tell people something about you that will make them interested in getting to know you, but not so long that it bores them and they don't read it all. Once again, enticing."

Her friend watched the words flashing across the screen as the cursor moved with every stroke of fingertips against keys.

_Fun, bubbly, down to earth. Love to talk. Newly single and ready to mingle!_

"Perfect. I'd laugh if Brent saw this."

They finished and saved the profile, logging out and closing the laptop just as they heard a knock at the door.

"Pizza delivery."

Both girls smiled.

"Thanks Mom, I'm starving."

They dug in like voracious animals as Alex shook her head in amazement at how much two teenaged girls could eat.

"No problem. What are you guys up to?"

"Nothing, just talking. Might watch a movie later."

"Alright, well don't stay up too late, okay? I love you."

"Me too, Mom."

"You too, Meghan." She smiled at her, and the young girl smiled back, her heart swelling to twice its size.

As the ADA shut the door and made her way back down the hallway, the girls changed into their pyjamas before snuggling side by side under the covers of Haileigh's double bed.

"I bet all kinds of hotties will have messaged you next time you check your profile."

"Girl, whatever. I doubt it."

For the last few years, Meghan had known nothing but Brent DePaiva. Now that he was gone, she didn't feel or think anyone would or could love her again. As she fell asleep next to her best friend that night, she hoped beyond all hope for the first time in forever that all the negative she'd learned about love could be proven wrong. That there were real fairy tales, and that she could be part of one more magical than she'd ever dreamed of.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Law and Order SVU or any affiliated characters. Any additional characters or situations I've created are figments of my own imagination and intended to bear no resemblance to any actual persons. Any similarity is purely coincidental.

**BballaBoi182: Hey. I saw ur pic on ur MeetMeNow profile. Ur super pretty. I "liked" u. If u wanna talk, message me back :)**

**BballaBoi182: It's so lonely here. I have so many ppl around me, but feel so alone at the same time. **

**Meghalicious1708: I completely understand ur feelings. It's the same here. Especially at nite. Being newly single sucks :( I'm always here if u wanna talk or need a friend.**

**BballaBoi182: I really appreciate that. :)**

**Meghalicious1708: Where r u from?  
**

**BballaBoi182: Atlanta, GA, but have family in Jersey City, NJ. U?**

**Meghalicious1708: NYC. **

**BballaBoi182: Sweet. I love NYC. **

**Meghalicious1708: It's okay lol. I'd love to get away from here tho.  
**

**BballaBoi182: You're a free spirit then, yeah? Where would u go if u could go anywhere?**

**Meghalicious1708: Hm, Africa. **

**BballaBoi182: Why Africa? **

**Meghalicious1708: I just have such a fascination with it. Would love 2 go and help provide care & medicine 2 children also. **

**BballaBoi182: So sweet. Ur interesting. **

**Meghalicious1708: I'm just me lol.**

**BballaBoi182: What's ur name?**

**Meghalicious1708: I thought this was supposed to b anonymous? (; **

**BballaBoi182: I want to get to kno u tho.**

**Meghalicious1708: When the time is right, u will kno my name. Deal? ;)**

**BballaBoi182: ;)**

**BballaBoi182: Hey beautiful. How was ur day? :)**

**Meghalicious1708: Good. Missed u tho ;) lol **

**BballaBoi182: Aweee (: I missed talking 2 u 2. How was school?**

**Meghalicious1708: Long. Had cheer practice after. Pretty much only reason I went. Ppl expect so much from me, yet at the same time don't care about me at all. :( **

**BballaBoi182: I care about u, and u kno I would never expect u 2 be anyone but ur beautiful self. I'm sure u did great at cheer practice. I would love 2 have seen u :)**

**Meghalicious1708: Aw, ur so sweet :) I wish u could have been there 2. Thank u for always putting a smile on my face. ;)**

**BballaBoi182: Ur welcome. U do the same for me.**

**Meghalicious1708: Since we've been talking this long, I think it's time we knew each others names. I really care about u and appreciate u always being there.**

**BballaBoi182: I care about u 2. I'll always b here :) My name is Erik. **

**Meghalicious1708: It's nice to finally put a name to ur picture. :) I'm Meghan. :)**

**BballaBoi182: I should have known, Meghalicious.. lol duh.**

**Meghalicious1708: Lol! I'm assuming u like basketball judging by ur MeetMeNow handle?**

**BballaBoi182: Yeah, I play on my school's team. Wish u went to school here. I could use a sexy cheerleader like u to motivate me. ;)**

As she scrolled through the MeetMeNow mobile app, reading just a few of the conversations that had occurred between them over the last several months, she smiled. There was something about him that was endearing, and they could tell each other everything. Unlike everyone else in her world, Erik listened. She had every conversation that had ever taken place since he'd initiated contact, and re read them for a pick-me-up when having a bad day. He was the first one she talked to when she woke up, and the last goodnight she said before falling asleep.

It had begun as just innocent conversation, but they had formed what now felt like a legitimate friendship. Erik had allowed Meghan to slowly but surely start to heal and move on from Brent. She had found herself beginning to develop what she thought were strong feelings for him, and hoped he felt the same way about her. If he did, and she could convince him to travel back to Jersey City or even NYC, she felt they just may have something great and potentially lasting.

"You guys are always so glued to those damn phones. The world needs to go back to the way it used to be. Connecting to people face to face is so rare anymore."

Rolling her eyes, she looked up from her iPhone, pulling away from the world that lay behind its screen.

"So is having both your parents home for dinner and not shooting death glares at each other."

"Meghan Ava Benson-Stabler, you watch it with the back talk, do you hear me?"

"About as clearly as you've heard me when I've tried to talk to you all these years."

"What exactly is your problem?! Stop giving your mother so much attitude, or you can consider yourself grounded and your car privileges confiscated. You'll take the bus to school like the majority of the kids your age are doing."

"Whatever, Dad." Trying to get either of her parents to hear her side was the like of trying to nail Jello to a wall.

"What was that?"

"I said, yes sir."

"Thank you."

The family of three sat down to a rare home cooked meal of macaroni and beef casserole and fresh bread, the only sound being the clinking of fork and knife against plate, before Olivia took it upon herself to break the tension.

"How's cheer practice been lately?"

"Fine, I made captain of the squad."

"Really? That's great honey." She saw her Mom smile, but the fact that it didn't reach her eyes made the younger girl feel it was disingenuous.

"How're your grades?"

Always the serious one, her father was forever asking after her marks. No matter how many times she reiterated to him that they were top of her class and he had nothing to stress over, it never seemed to stick. She could have a higher IQ than the president of the United States and he would still try to push her harder. Great wasn't even good enough for Elliot Stabler. He expected her to go to medical school and become a doctor just like he had, and even felt that following in the footsteps of her mother working for the Special Victims Unit, would be beneath her.

"They're fine, Dad. You have nothing to worry about."

"Fine doesn't lead to excellence, Meghan. If they're just fine, I have a lot to worry about."

"I'm not having this conversation with you again. I'm sick of it. Neither of you ever hear what I'm saying to you. Pull your heads out of your asses! I've accomplished so much, but you don't care. It's never enough. I just went through hell and back for months and months because Brent DePaiva broke up with me after me giving him three years of my life, thinking I was gonna settle down with him. But you wouldn't know, because you walk around sleeping ALL THE TIME. If me being honest and standing up to you gets my car taken away from me, then fine. I'll give you the damn keys!"

Slamming her fork down against her plate in anger sent bits of food flying across the table. Not bothering to give her parents a second glance, she rose from her chair and ran up the stairs, leaving them to clean up the mess that had been left in the wake of her outburst.

"I see now where her temper comes from."

"Oh, fuck off, Elliot." The detective rose from her own chair, picking up dishes of half eaten food and making her way to the kitchen.

"Are you gonna be home tonight?"

"Nah, I have to work nights in the ER tonight." He followed behind her, intending to retrieve a cloth to wash the mess his daughter had made on the table.

"Figures. I have to go back to the one six tonight."

"So? Meg will be fine. It's not like she hasn't lashed out at us before. We have to make a living, Liv. She's seventeen, we've all been there. It's a phase she'll outgrow."

The brunette had conflicting feelings about trusting the opinion of a husband who felt estranged to her, but half of her hoped he was right.

**Meghalicious1708: Are u still awake? **

Crying herself to sleep was such a regular occurrence that she should've been used to it, but she wasn't. Lost in feelings of desperation with a house full of nothing but the sounds of utter silence, she turned to the one person that had come to feel like home.

**BballaBoi182: I am. Are u okay?**

**Meghalicious1708: No. Not at all.**

**BballaBoi182: Talk to me, I'm here for u. I'll stay up all night if I have to. **

**Meghalicious1708: My parents are so thick headed and never listen to me. They fight with each other and I'm always witnessing it. I don't remember very clearly a time when they were happy. I'm supposed to be this golden child or something. Dad wants me to be a doctor like him, and even the highest GPA wouldn't be enough for him to be proud of me. They don't care where I am, never really care to know what's going on with me. I'd give up money and all the things they've provided me just to have half an hour of their undivided attention. I feel like nobody would even miss me if I left. I just want to end it.**

**BballaBoi182: Don't talk like that! I care about u, and I would miss u. I look forward to talking 2 u every day and I think u r such a beautiful person. Who ever doesn't see that, is missing out. If u end it now, you'll never know if we could be 2gether. ;)**

**Meghalicious1708: U would wanna be with me?**

**BballaBoi182: Absolutely! I'm falling in love with u. Every part of u. **

**Meghalicious1708: Does this mean u will come back 2 Jersey?**

**BballaBoi182: We'll figure something out. ;)**

**Meghalicious1708: Promise? **

**BballaBoi182: Pinkie promise. ;)**

**Meghalicious1708: Babe?**

**BballaBoi182: Hmm?**

**Meghalicious1708: Send me a new picture?**

**BballaBoi182: U first.**

**Meghalicious1708: OK. One sec. **

Long moments passed as she stared down at her phone, reading back over their messages. Fearing he'd fallen asleep or thought she'd forgotten him, she came to and slowly tapped out a message into the text box.

**Meghalicious1708: I can trust you, right?**

Within seconds, her phone bleeped in response.

** BballaBoi182: Always, baby. Why?**

Unable to find the proper words to answer his question, she ignored it. Instead, standing in front of her bathroom mirror exposed and in all possible vulnerability, she held the camera so that her own nakedness was reflected back at her. In what felt like an out of body motion, she snapped the 'capture' button, hearing the shutter sound louder than it actual was in her ears.

The reckless and rebellious part of her being took over as she trusted someone she felt like she'd known forever, but hardly knew at all, with the most sacred parts of herself. In the world of technology, 'send' had no return.


End file.
